Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson in this week's episode of Fox's "New Girl."
Let’s just start off by saying we think this was New Girl’s weakest effort so far. The whole episode revolves around the gang going to a wedding, and we know nothing good can ever come of that. Especially since plastic prop teeth seem to be a wedding staple for Jess.
The show thus far has established a pattern of Jess trying to reign in her crazy enough for the boys to think she’s normal when the occasion calls for it. This week’s opener was nearly an exact repeat of a scene from the pilot, in which Jess tries on weird clothes before nailing Schmidt’s request for letting a “dirty slut out of the slut house.” (Where exactly is that douchebag jar?)
The whole purpose of Jess’s dressing conformity is so that she can pass as an acceptable girlfriend for Nick when they run into his ex at said wedding. In any other TV show, this would stir up sexual tension and romantic interest between two of our leads, but New Girl just hasn’t committed to that path yet.
Which leads us to perhaps our biggest problem with the show: we don’t know what we’re supposed to want in this show.
Three episodes in, we should have either more growth for Jess or more background on the boys. Instead we’re left with Zooey’s crazy and superficially heartfelt moments from the boys. This episode had a very cute moment between Jess and Winston in which he tells her he’s glad she’s around, but he fails to give a single reason for that appreciation.
Last week, Lauren said she thought it was going to be Jess and Nick, while Abby was still unsure if Schmidt was going to be a part of the romantic picture of New Girl. This week, we’re still no closer to really knowing where the show wants to take us.
Lauren thinks that romance (or at least sexual tension) between Jess and a roommate has to become at least a part of this show in order for it to succeed. Abby argues that Jess doesn’t have to be involved, but at least something has to happen for one of the guys.
The moral of the story is that New Girl has to choose a path other than quirky girl tries on outfits if it’s going to keep any sort of audience. Because if we keep going at this rate, Jess will simply be too insane for anyone to date. Ever.
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